


The Four Bloods

by thefantastickatinator



Category: Original Work, Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: Cats, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-27
Updated: 2017-12-27
Packaged: 2019-02-22 17:02:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13171311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thefantastickatinator/pseuds/thefantastickatinator
Summary: After succumbing to a terrible threat, a small band of cats seek refuge and the remains of their way of life. Along the way they meet Sorrel, a barn cat with a few skills of her own. These cats will need to change their ways if they hope to survive in the unforgiving forest.





	1. Sorrel's Story

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys, sorry this is posted a few days late (I meant to post this on Sunday, but got distracted by Christmas stuff). This is a work inspired by the Warriors series by Erin Hunter. I've added my own twist but you can definitely see the basic influences in my work. The next two chapters are appendices explaining more of the universe in detail and defining a few terms.

I once lived the life of an ordinary barn cat. One spring morning, everything changed.

I sat in my nest by the singular barn window, looking out into the forest. A few days before, there had been a great deal of noise in the distance, but as it only lasted about a day, I assumed it was nothing important. The forest had been eerily silent for days, and that was far more concerning.

Movement from the edge of the trees caught my eye. A parade of cats emerged, heading towards the barn. At the head was a pure white cat, and small brown kit dangling from her mouth. Behind her was a pure black cat with another kit. Following behind were two younger cats and an adult. Trailing after were two elders, their shaking steps showing their age. A brown cat rounded out the patrol. I slipped out of the barn to face this new threat.

“Who are you and why are you here?” I hissed at the approaching cats.

One of the young cats snarled. “Quiet, softblood! Go back to your soft little bed and be a slave to the People in the houses! We have every right to be here,” he hissed.

The cat at the front placed her kit on the ground. “Hush, Ashclaw. It would not do to anger a potential friend,” she said the snarling cat.

I puffed up my fur and stepped forward. “I’m no house cat! This is my barn, and you need to leave! I’m not afraid of you,” I said.

“We are sorry for disturbing your territory. My name is Birchtail. I am the leader of Southblood. We were attacked and are the only survivors that we know of. We need a place to rest, before we decide our next move. Would you allow us to stay in your barn?” she said. Her body stood tall and strong, but I could see desperation in her eyes.

“I don’t let people I don’t know stay in my barn. I guess I’ll have to know all of your names. I’m Sorrel. You can stay here, at least for tonight,” I said.

“Thank you, Sorrel” Birchtail said. 

The other cats told me their names as I helped them settle in for the night. Ashclaw stayed as far away from me as possible, glaring at me from his place by the doorway. Beechfur, Birchtail’s mate, settled down with the kits and elders. Birchtail watched over everything before finally settling herself. 

“I can keep watch for tonight, so you can rest. I’m sure all of you are tired. You can decide on what to do tomorrow morning,” I said to Birchtail.

She nodded. “Thank you again for your kindness,” she said.

I ducked my head. “Wouldn’t be much of a cat if I didn’t help other cats who needed it,” I said.

She made no response. I settled down outside the barn to watch for predators. In the morning, Birchtail gathered everyone around to talk about what to do next. I hovered at the edge of the group uncertainly. 

“We need to leave as soon as possible if we want to look for survivors. The longer we wait, the weaker the scents will get,” Birchtail said.

“Is everyone fit for travel?” her deputy, Flaxfur, asked.

“I’ve checked over the newbloods and the graybloods, and they are all healthy. We should be able to travel as long as we move carefully,” said the healer Nettlewhisker.

I moved closer to the group. “Excuse me?” I said.

They all turned to look at me. “Yes, Sorrel?” Birchtail said.

“Is it alright if I come with you for a while? I know this section of the forest, and I want to be able to help you find your friends. I think I could be an asset,” I said.

“Are you serious? This softblood can’t come with us! She’ll go running back to the People after a day in the forest,” Ashclaw said, glaring at me.

“That’s enough,” Flaxfur said. Ashclaw shut his mouth with an audible click and stared at his feet.

“If you would like to come, we would love your help,” Birchtail said kindly.

“I would like to come with you.”

“Alright, that’s settled. We’ll make some last preparations before we leave,” she said.

“I’ll do a quick check of the area before we leave, to make sure it’s safe,” I said.

Birchtail nodded. “Thank you, Sorrel.”

I bounded out the door, ignoring the muttering from Ashclaw and the stares from the other cats.

“Come on, softblood, what’s taking so long? We have to go,” Ashclaw said when I returned from my patrol.

I sighed. “For the last time,” I said, “my name is Sorrel, and I’m not a softblood. I was just checking for predators. Wouldn’t want you to get eaten, would we?”  
Birchtail interrupted. “Sorrel, are we ready to go?” she asked.

“All’s clear,” I replied.

“Let’s go, then,” she said.

Beechfur padded past me with Clovepaw dangling from his mouth. Fernclaw and Nettlewhisker nudged the elders along behind him. Flaxfur lead the group with Ashclaw bounding beside him.

“Will you scout for us? I’ll follow behind, but I’m not very familiar with this territory,” Birchtail said to me.

I bowed my head. “Of course.”

She seemed to droop with relief, and brushed my tail with her own. I turned and set out to flank them, keeping an eye out for any threatening smells. Not long after, I caught a strange scent. I had never smelled anything like it, but it reminded me of the Southbloods. 

I immediately sprinted to Birchtail’s side. “I found something, I don’t recognize it, but it smells sort of like you,” I said. 

“Take me there,” she said.

I lead her over and she froze in surprise when she caught the scent.

“What is it?” I asked.

“It’s Westblood. I don’t know the cat, but it’s definitely of that Blood. We have to follow it. Tell Flaxfur to change the route,” Birchtail said.

I raced to the head of the group. Flaxfur stopped in surprise when he saw me approach. Ashclaw sneered.

“What is it, softblood, getting too tired?” he said.

“Flaxfur, Birchtail and I found a scent that she says is a cat of Westblood. She wants us to follow it. She says to adjust your route towards the tall mountain in the north. We’ll stop at dusk, or sooner if we find a good resting place,” I said, ignoring Ashclaw’s taunts.

“Thank you, Sorrel. Ashclaw, if you can’t treat our scout with respect, I will make you walk with the graybloods. You wouldn’t accuse them of ‘getting too tired’, would you?” Flaxfur said.

Ashclaw lowered his head. “Sorry,” he mumbled.

“I’m not the one you need to apologize to,” Flaxfur reminded him gently.

“Sorry, soft-Sorrel,” Ashclaw grumbled in defeat.

I turned to Flaxfur. “I will see you later, Ashclaw, Flaxfur,” I said, “I will be scouting the forest to the east.”

I ranged throughout the forest, and even caught a small mouse to eat at midday. When the sun sank lower in the sky, I began searching for a good resting place. I found an alcove, well protected by large trees, and large enough for everyone to lie comfortably. There was enough moss nearby for comfortable sleeping. I alerted Birchtail and Flaxfur to its location, and there was still plenty of light by the time we reached the alcove. 

Flaxfur, Ashclaw, Beechfur, and I went hunting while the others got settled. When we returned with two rabbits and several voles and shrews, the elders and kittens were resting comfortably on the moss-covered ground. Birchtail brushed up against Beechfur and I heard a soft purr. 

“I see you were successful in your hunt,” she said.

“Yes. How are the kits?” Beechfur asked.

“Asleep. I’m glad they’re weaned, because we have no nursing mothers now,” she said, tails and ears drooping. Beechfur nuzzled her softly in comfort.

“So, you found traces of Westblood,” Flaxfur said, interrupting the moment.

“Yes,” said Birchtail, “I didn’t recognize the cat, though. I must not have met them before. I’m worried, though. No sign of Cresstail or her second.”

“And nothing from the other Bloods. How many more are left? We don’t even know if Northblood or Eastblood survived at all. It hit them first. We were lucky. It hit us last, and we still lost two thirds of ours, even with warning. We don’t even know if we’ll make it to the next season,” Flaxfur said, his voice rising in anguish.

Birchtail stepped forward. “Spiraling into despair won’t help anyone. We need to focus on what we have. The newbloods, half our graybloods, and our healer are with us. Though we lost most of our blood, we have the next generation. We have evidence that Westblood survived, and we found a guide in Sorrel. Have hope,” she said.

“I apologize. I’m still recovering. The loss of my littermates and my protégé is difficult for me to come to terms with. We lost so much of our future. We were lucky we only had two newbloods in the nursery. Losing our innocents might have been too much for me to bear. My soul aches, Birchtail. How many of our friends died? I don’t know how much more I can take,” Flaxfur said, bowing his head.

Birchtail brushed against his side. “I understand,” she said, “Rest. Tomorrow is a new day. We will find the rest of Westblood. We will survive.”

Flaxfur left with a flick of his tail and Birchtail turned to me. She indicated that I should rest and then padded off to curl next to her mate. Unsure of where I should sleep, I kept a little ways away from the group and kept watch for predators. A few hours later, Nettlewhisker relieved me of my post and I settled down near him to sleep. In the morning, I hunted and brought back several rodents for the others to eat.

Birchtail brushed her tail across my flank in praise. “You are as good as any Southblood hunter,” she said, “We are truly lucky to have you with us. If we still lived in the homeland, I would take you on as my protégé.”

“Thank you. I have a lot of practice hunting in the barn and nearby forest. I just want to help you as best I can,” I replied in mild confusion, unsure of her meaning.

As the others turned to eat their meals, Ashclaw stalked over to me and snarled in my face.

“Stop sucking up! You’re not a part of this; you’re just a softblood helper! As soon as we find the other bloods, Birchtail will forget about you and you’ll go back to your stupid barn! I wont ever have to see your face again,” he said; rage making his fur stand on end.

I didn’t budge from my original position of relaxed nonchalance. 

“You seem jealous, Ashclaw,” I said, “Did you want Birchtail for your teacher? It seems you’re not satisfied with second best. Flaxfur seems like a great teacher. I bet it eats you up inside to know that Birchtail prefers a soft barn cat to her own blood. You’re not even sure if I want to stay. You might drive me away, but it won’t change the face that she didn’t want you.”

Ashclaw hissed and nearly attacked, but Alderpelt pressed a paw down on his neck.

“Control yourself,” he said to Ashclaw.

Ashclaw wriggled away and sprinted off into the forest. My chest grew heavy with guilt. Alderpelt seemed to regard me for a moment before settling down beside me. 

“How does it feel to have destroyed the spirit of a cat too young to know better?” Alderpelt asked me.

“Terrible,” I replied, “I should not have done that, but I was tired of his behavior. I have been nothing but polite, and yet he treats me with disdain. A part of me hoped that if I revealed his flaws to him, he might learn something.”

“Do you think you accomplished your goal?”

“At this point, I don’t think it matter. What I need to do is apologize,” I said, rising to my feet to find him.

Before I could get a few steps, Nettlewhisker bounded into the clearing and straight over to Birchtail. He bent his head closely to her ear and murmured quietly. Birchtail immediately straightened and her fur stood on end. She indicated that the elders, Beechfur, and Flaxfur should join her and they began discussing something in hushed tones I could not make out. Something was very wrong. Nettlewhisker had seen or smelled something. Ashclaw was out there, likely in danger, because of me. I had to warn him. 

I crept off into the forest and began tracking his scent. Within minutes, I was easily following his trail. He had not done anything to conceal his scent. It was just past midday when I found him. He was scenting a branch, and jumped in defense as I came up behind him.

“What are you doing here, softblood? Come to gloat about how worthless I am? Leave, I’m busy,” he said brusquely.

“I came to apologize. What I said was in-”

“Quiet!”

“What? I’m trying to-“ 

“I smell something. I know that smell, it’s- we have to get out of here!” 

Ashclaw bolted past me just as I caught an unfamiliar scent. I had never smelled anything like this before, but my nerves stood on end. Danger. I turned and sprinted after Ashclaw. We didn’t get far before a loud snarl had Ashclaw freezing in his tracks. I whipped around and saw something I had never seen before, something I would never forget. A giant feline stood before me, massive muscles rippling and teeth bared.

Prey, it snarled.

“What are you?” I whimpered.

You are weak. Prey. I will take everything and kill all of you. This territory is mine.

“You aren’t taking anything,” Ashclaw snarled, and leapt directly at the Great Cat’s face. 

With one powerful sweep of its massive paw, the Cat sent Ashclaw flying into the nearing tree trunk. He slumped there, stunned and bleeding profusely from several bloody furrows on his side. I scanned the surrounding trees when out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a clump of stinging nettles and a few flowers I knew were poisonous. A plan clicked together in my mind a second before the Cat pounced directly in front of me.

I leaped directly into the air, clawing its head and neck and scrambling down its back, leaving deep scratches wherever I could before leaping off in the direction of the nettles. I scooped the nettles into my mouth with my claws. I spun around just in time to nearly by caught in those vicious claws. This time I swiped its side and pressed some of the nettles into the scratches. The Cat responded with a vicious howl. It turned to face me, and I decided that now was the best time to make my move. I leapt directly at the Cat’s face, spilling the leaves out onto its head. Ignoring the stinging in my paws, I shoved the plants into its eyes, nose and mouth. It roared in anger and whipped its head to the side, sending me flying again. I watched as it batted at its face and spat out the leaves before bounding away. My head dropped in exhaustion. As I faded from consciousness, I heard leaves crunching and Flaxfur and Birchtail yowling.

I awoke to a stinging pain in my shoulder. I opened my eyes to see Fernclaw pressing some plant pulp into my fur.

“You passed out from exhaustion. You stopped bleeding on your own, this is just to disinfect the wounds,” she said.

“What happened?” Birchtail asked, “Ashclaw is still unconscious.”

“I upset him. Then when Nettlewhisker came, I knew he was in danger, so I went to apologize. I found him just before this large cat-“

Birchtail interrupted me. “Cat! It must be- it followed us! How are you still alive?” she said.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“We call it the Great Cat. We got a warning from a messenger of Westblood when it first attacked. Many of us were out, and they were killed before we even left. Some of us tried to hold them back. My littermate forced the eight of us to go while she fought it off. I saw her die just before we vanished into the forest. We got far enough that it didn’t follow us, but there were only two of you. How did you survive?” Birchtail said.

“It hit Ashclaw first. I saw some stinging nettles and used them to drive it off,” I explained.

“She saved my life, but that’s not important now. I recognized a scent from a cat I knew from Eastblood. We need to find her,” Ashclaw said, stirring from his prone position next to me.

“You’re not fit to go anywhere. Tell me where you found the scent. We’ll find her. And don’t ever run off like that again. You could have been killed,” Flaxfur said to him, chest huffing with distress.

“Sorry, Flaxfur,” Ashclaw said in apology. “I first picked up the scent over by that tree.”

Flaxfur took a long sniff and then disappeared into the forest. Nettlewhisker had just finished patching up Ashclaw when Flaxfur returned. Behind him trailed a fluffy tan cat, her fur puffed out in fear and her ear pinned flat. Her head bowed in submission. When Ashclaw saw her, he tried to get to his feet but hissed in pain. He collapsed to the ground, receiving a harsh glare from Nettlewhisker.

“Maizeclaw,” he said, excitement apparent in his tone.

She went immediately to his side and rubbed her muzzle against his in greeting.

“I’m so glad you’re alive. What happened?” she said.

“The Great Cat. Don’t worry, Sorrel saved me. What happened to you?” Ashclaw said.

“I was with a few cats from Northblood and Westblood, and some of my own blood, but I was separated. I don’t know what happened to them,” Maizeclaw said.

“Any of ours?” Birchtail asked.

“No, I’m sorry.”

“You can join us. We’ll help you find the rest of your group, but we want to follow the scent of some Westblood cats that Sorrel scented,” Birchtail said.

“Who is this ‘Sorrel’ you speak of? Is this cat a rougeblood or a softblood? You can’t trust either of those. Rougebloods only care about themselves and softbloods are weak,” Maizeclaw said, glaring at Birchtail.

“It doesn’t matter where Sorrel came from,” Ashclaw said, “She’s my friend and one of us now. I’d go as far as to say she’s a sister of my blood.”

“Sister of my blood? What does that mean?” I asked Fernclaw.

She blinked in tense shock before answering. “Sister or Brother of my blood is the greatest platonic bond you can have with another cat. It involves a high level of trust and it’s a great honor to have someone call you that,” she said finally.

“I guess he likes me now,” I said.

Maizeclaw bowed her head. “Sorry, Ashclaw, Sorrel. I misstep. I’m still living in the past. I know that the old ways just don’t fit with the lives we lead now. Who knows if we’ll ever get back to where we were,” she said.

“There is no going back,” Birchtail said, “We must always move forward. Rest, Maizeclaw. In fact, everyone should get some rest. We are following the trail that Westblood left in the morning.”

As the others settled in for the night, I padded over to Ashclaw. He seemed all right, if a little groggy. His ears flicked in anxiety or nervousness. I settled down leisurely next to him and gave him a look.

“So, I never got to properly apologize for my behavior this morning. I was frustrated and I took my anger out on you. You are suffering a great loss and I should have been more respectful of that,” I said to him.

“Now you’ve made me feel guilty. Truly, I’m the one who should apologize. I have treated you with nothing but disrespect and rudeness, and you have treated me with kindness and patience. Thank you, Sorrel, for saving my life. I’ll try to repay the favor,” he said, shifting towards me.

I tilted my head. “Sister of my blood, huh?”

He flicked his ears. “Well, I-“ he said.

“I’m flattered, honestly. Who knew that insulting someone and then saving his life would make me a blood sister?” 

“When I first met you, I was wary of your intentions. But you’ve shown that you are willing to risk your life, even for cats that don’t treat you well. That makes you one of us. We should call you Sorrelclaw now.”

“I’m an adult, you know, and I’m not a Southblood. When you meet up with your friends, I’ll head back to my barn, where I belong.”

“But-“ 

“Goodnight, Ashclaw. We have a long day tomorrow.” 

I turned my back to him and curled into a ball. Ashclaw’s off-handed suggestion swirled through my mind. I had not considered joining them. I had been on my own for a long time. What would it be like, to have a family again? The thought kept me awake well into the night.

Ashclaw prodded me awake at sunrise. He seemed fully recovered, bounding around with Maizeclaw like he hadn’t almost died yesterday. Before long, Birchtail gathered us together and sent me off to scout the area for the Great Cat. We set off towards the northern mountain. We noticed a change in the scent midday and adjusted our direction east.

It took us another day and a half, but we reached the edge of the forest and came upon a collection of houses. There were a few of the moving boxes traveling along the People paths, but it was fairly quiet. The others seemed understandably nervous about the People Paths. If you weren’t careful, the moving boxes could kill you. I hadn’t seen so many of them in a while. When I was young, I used to venture out to the People Paths with my littermates. I lost one of them to a moving box. 

Birchtail approached me. “How do we cross safely?” she asked.

“Wait for the path to clear. Listen for the sound of rumbling. If it is quiet, it is safe to cross. Cross as quickly as you can. Hesitating while on the path is the most dangerous; get off as quickly as possibly. Carry the kits in your mouths. Wait for my signal. Hopefully, we won’t have to cross the paths. The safest way to travel here is behind the houses, in the enclosed forests. Some of them have dogs, but most of the time they are easy to avoid. We should find your friends quickly enough,” I said.

Quickly enough was a bit of an understatement. Within minutes, excited yowling could be heard in the distance. A large orang tabby came bounding towards us, leaping onto Flaxfur and almost flattening him.

“Scokefur! I’m so happy you’re alive,” Flaxfur said, regaining his balance.

“I thought we were the only ones left,” said Scokefur, stepping back to allow Flaxfur to rise to his feet.

Flaxfur examined him carefully. “How many are with you?” he asked.

“Not many,” said Scokefur, “We’re staying in the yard with a few cats living here. There are five of us from Westblood. We lost all of our kits, Flaxfur. I don’t know…”

“I know, I know. I can’t imagine how devastating a loss that was,” Flaxfur said, brushing Scokefur with his tail.

“Walnutclaw?” asked Scokefur. 

Flaxfur bowed his head. “Gone. He was one of the first. He died trying to protect the kits with the nursing mothers. Tansyclaw?” he said.

“Still with us.” Flaxfur relaxed in relief. 

“I’m happy to hear that,” said Birchtail, “Why don’t you take us to where you are staying, Scokefur. As much as I am glad that you had this reunion, we are all quite tired.”

Scokefur straightened. “Of course, Birchtail. Follow me,” he said.

Scokefur stepped away from Flaxfur and lead us over a fence into a large enclosed forest. He led us to a large fruit tree, where he stood at the base and looked up.

“Cresstail, you’ll never guess who I’ve found! It’s Southblood,” he called up into the trees.

Excited yowls echoed back. I heard a ruckus from inside the People Homes, and two house cats burst through the cat opening and bolted over to us. When they realized our number, they skidded to a halt. The one with fluffy orange fur and sparkling green eyes hid behind the small calico with warm brown eyes. They cowered before us, shivering. As everyone tensed uncertainly, a sleek gray cat leaped from the tree to stand before Birchtail.

“Birchtail, it gladdens me to see that so much of your blood has survived. You are welcome here, as long as you respect our hosts. Rhubarb and Cinnamon have allowed us safe harbor in their enclosed forest. I know we don’t usually associate with softbloods, but these are desperate times,” she said.

“Cresstail, I would never judge you for doing what was best for your blood. We’ve sought our own help as well. If - Rhubarb, Cinnamon – you would allow us to stay here for a time, we would be most honored,” Birchtail said. 

“Of course, any friends of Cresstail are welcome here,” said the calico.

“Thank you for your hospitality,” Birchtail said with a nod.

“Birchtail, do you know anything about any of ours?” Cresstail asked.

“A few days ago we found Maizeclaw, from Eastblood. She was with a group and she can tell you more. Maizeclaw?” Birchtail said, indicating that Maizeclaw should step forwards. 

She stepped over to Cresstail before speaking. “Before meeting up with Westblood, I traveled with a group of survivors. Ryefur and Figpelt from Northblood, Parsleywhisker from yours, and Hayclaw and two kits from my blood,” she said.

“How did you get separated,” Cresstail asked, head cocked.

“I smelled the Great Cat. I tried to draw it away from my group so that the others would be safe. That’s when Sorrel and Ashclaw saved me,” Maizeclaw explained.

“Saved you? No one has fought the Great Cat and survived.”

“Cresstail, we’ll speak more on this tomorrow,” Birchtail said, “It is nearly sunset, and my bloodmates are very tired. The kits need rest.”

“Of course. Come along, and we’ll find you places to rest. There are many soft piles in the enclosed forest,” Cresstail said. 

She flicked her tail and the rest of my group followed her. I wavered uncertainly before I was bombarded by the two housecats. Their bodies wiggled in excitement as they circled me, tails flicking.

“Who are you?” 

“You’re not with the forest cats, you don’t smell like them”

“You don’t look like you’ve been out in the wild on your own.”

“You don’t smell soft and warm like us, either.”

“What are you?””

I snapped. “I’m a barn cat!” I hissed.

The calico laughed. “So you’re an in-between,” she said.

“I don’t understand your type.”

“If you like the warmth of the barn, why not stay in the house?”

“If you like hunting so much, why don’t you just live in the forest”

Their questions made my head ache. “Isn’t it possible that I might like both the freedom of hunting and the warmth of the barn?” I said.

“Well-“ 

Ashclaw interrupted. “Hey, Sorrel,” he called from across the yard, “Are you coming to sleep or are you going to gossip all night with those soft- uh, cats?”

“Coming, Ashclaw,” I said, turning my back on the cats and followed him to where the rest of them were gathering for the night.

Ashclaw tilted his head in confusion, and I flicked my tail dismissively. Ashclaw looked past me at the two house cats and flicked his tail angrily. I brushed against his side to calm him before settling down for the night.

The next morning found Cresstail and Birchtail talking quietly at the base of the tree. When they spotted me, Birchtail beckoned me over with a flick of her tail.

“Cresstail was asking me about our encounter with the Great Cat. I know a little of what happened, but you know more than anyone. If we are to face it again, we will likely need your help. Could you tell us more about the strategy you employed?” she said.

“I used stinging nettles and thistles because the pain is very disorienting. If we really wanted to drive it off forever, I would suggest more poisonous plants, ones that might even be fatal. Nettlewhisker and Fernclaw probably know the best ones to use,” I said.

“Excellent, Sorrel. Thank you,” Birchtail said.

“If you defeat the Great Cat, will you return home?” I asked.

“I don’t know,” Cresstail said, “That land is tainted now. We may return to honor the dead, but living there again would be difficult.”

“Finding a new home would also be challenging. Of course, with our smaller numbers, it might be easier. I hope we will find Maizeclaw’s group as well. My greatest wish is for the four bloods to reunite, especially after this loss. I grieve for our lost friends,” Birchtail added solemnly. 

Cresstail nodded. “Neemtail and I were very close. We were leaders for many turns before you. Now it’s just the two of us,” she said.

I twitched uncomfortably. “Is there anything else you need from me?” I asked, hoping to leave.

“Oh, I forgot you were still with us. You can go. Thank you for your help,” Birchtail said.

“Of course. I want to help you however I can,” I said.

Cresstail tilted her head. “This is a good one, Birchtail, where did you find her?” she said.

“Uh…”

“Are you going to recruit her? Southblood could use a cat like her.”

“Cresstail, stop teasing. You can go now, Sorrel,” Birchtail said.

I turned and left at her signal. Cresstail and Birchtail seemed like close friends. Their speech was as friendly as Birchtail’s with her own blood, and nearly as close as hers with Beechfur. I noticed friendly interactions between the bloods. I wondered what life was like before the Great Cat. It didn’t matter too much, that life was gone for them.

A paw batting my ear interrupted my thoughts. I turned to defend myself and saw Ashclaw crouching, his tail twitching in an invitation to play. I leapt at him, and we tumbled across the grass, batting at each other. Clovepaw interrupted our play by leaping on my head. Her sister Cottonpaw knocked Ashclaw to the side. He flopped over dramatically, tail twitching in amusement.

“We are the might of Southblood, fear us!” Cottonpaw shouted, sitting on Ashclaw’s chest.

Ashclaw’s head dropped to the ground. “I’m defeated, slain by the mighty Cottonpaw!” he wailed.

Maizeclaw padded over to us. “What are you two doing?” she asked accusingly.

“I was testing Sorrel’s fighting skill. I had to see how she could beat the Great Cat. Alas, we both fell to the might of Southblood’s future, the great Clovepaw and Cottonpaw!” he said. 

“Maybe I should try fighting Sorrel. How did a… barn cat, right? … Beat such a fearsome beast? I should like to test your skill, Sorrel,” she said, staring right at me.

“Well, uh”

Ashclaw interrupted me. “If you think you can beat the sister of my blood, go ahead, Maizeclaw. I’m sure she won’t hurt you too badly,” he said.

Maizeclaw crouched in front of me with none of the playful demeanor Ashclaw displayed. I mirrored her cautiously, watching her haunches carefully for movement. This wasn’t like the play fight from before; Maizeclaw was taking this very seriously. Her haunches twitch and she leaped, intending to pin me beneath her. I leapt sideways and she landed on the ground, turning to swipe at me. She barely missed my muzzle and snagged my ear. I used her off-balance position to my advantage. I bowled her over with my superior size. I used my own weight to pin her legs to her body and placed my teeth against her neck, signaling a killing blow. Maizclaw froze. I stepped off of her. She scrambled to her feet and shook out her fur. I approached her carefully, making sure to prevent Ashclaw from listening to our conversation.

“Maizeclaw, you are a good fighter and a credit to your blood. I want you to know that I am no threat to your friendship with Ashclaw. My time here is temporary. Once you all are settled again, I will return to my barn. I’m sorry that our interactions have been so negative. I hope we will have a more cordial relationship in the future,” I said.

She said backwards and flicked her ears nervously. “I did not know this. I am sorry I thought so little of you when you have done so much for Ashclaw and Southblood.”

Ashclaw watched us in confusion. She padded over to him and he asked her a question, which she ignored. I was about to look for Fernclaw when I bumped into the orange tabby, Cinnamon. 

“Hey in-between, how did you learn to fight so well?” he asked.

I sighed. “I used hunting strategies. When I was a kitten, I used to play fight with my littermates, and my mother was insistent on us learning how to defend ourselves. I’m also almost twice as large as Maizeclaw. I just used my weight to pin her down,” I said.

“Do you think I could learn to fight like that? I’m bigger than you, would that make me too slow? Would you teach me to move like you?” he said earnestly.

Rhubarb joined us. “We want to join Westblood, but we don’t have any skills. We’ve never lived outdoors. We don’t want to be a burden. Cresstail said she would love for us to join, but I doubt the others are so welcoming. Do you know what they call us? Softblood, like we don’t have the strength to live like them,” she said

“They called me that too, when they met me. Ashclaw kept calling me that, even after I started helping them,” I said, nodding.

“How did you get them to stop?” Cinnamon asked.

“I beat the Great Cat.”

They blinked in surprise. “You mean the horrible beast that killed all of their friends and family? You beat it?” Rhubarb said.

“Yes, I did.”

Cinnamon sat down in shock. “How?” he asked.

“With plants, and a little strategy.”

“You’re amazing! Could you teach us how to be more like you?” Rhubarb said, moving into my personal space.

I took a step back. “If you really want my help, I’ll give it.”

“You’re a good cat. We should stop calling you In-between,” Cinnamon said, tail drooping.

“My name is Sorrel.”

Over the next few days, I taught Cinnamon and Rhubarb how to hunt and fight. Ashclaw jumped in after the first day, eager to show them how to be real cats. Maizeclaw joined us too, correcting Rhubarb’s swats when we were practicing in the afternoon. Birchtail and Cresstail were still making plans, which left the others (excluding Fernclaw, Nettlewhisker, and Flaxfur) with nothing to do. Eventually they joined in training, and I stepped back to allow more experienced cats to instruct. The elders offered tips from the sidelines. I imagined this is what the life of these cats was like before the Great Cat. Seeing the community in front of me made my heart twinge with longing. This wasn’t something I could have.

Maizeclaw demonstrated her favorite hunting trick to Rhubarb and Cinnamon a few days later. Clovepaw and Cottonpaw pretended to be prey. She was about to leap when furious yowling sounded from the neighboring enclosed forest. Ashclaw and I raced over and scaled the fence.

Near the edge cowered a mangy black cat with pieces of fur missing from its side. It had several long scratches across its shoulder. A burly brown tabby I knew as Thymefur crouched over it, hissing in its face.

“Who are you, rougeblood? Why do you smell of Westblood? Did you kill one?” he snarled.

“No, I promise! I was looking for-“

“Stop lying, rougeblood” Thymefur said, interrupting the cat’s protests.

“Thymefur, you’re alive! We followed the scent of Southblood cats, I didn’t think there were any of us left,” said a voice.

Thymefur froze and backed away from the loner. A beautiful tortoiseshell cat bounded from the edge of the enclosed forest and rubbed herself all over Thymefur’s quivering form. He relaxed completely, almost sinking into the ground. Ashclaw and I leapt down from our perch on the fence and carefully approached. 

“Parsleywhisker…” murmured Thymefur, still dazed.

“What exactly is going on here?” Ashclaw said.

Parsleywhisker turned to us in surprise. “We found you! After we lost Maizeclaw, we wandered everywhere look for her, but only smelled the Great Cat. We stumbled upon Tulsi, who took care of us. Hayclaw caught the scent of a large group of Southblood, so we followed that until we got here. We need your help to find Maizeclaw,” she said.

“No need, she’s with us,” Ashclaw assured her. 

“Parsleywhisker, I… I’m so happy to see you. Maizeclaw told us you were alive, but I couldn’t believe it. After losing the kits, coming back to see everyone gone, searching everywhere for some sign that anyone had survived…” said Thymefur, chest heaving.

Parsleywhisker rubbed her head against his shoulder. “I know,” she said.

“Everyone from the hunting party is with us. After I went to get them, only Baypelt was still alive. He hid underneath the bodies of our blood! The forest is tainted by that terrible beast,” Thymefur said.

“Sorry to interrupt, but who is with you, and who is this rougeblood?” Ashclaw said, interrupting the tension-filled exchange.

“Oh! This is Tulsi. She helped us find you. The others are coming. Figpelt and the kits are moving slowly. How many are with you?” Parsleywhisker said, finally stepping away from Thymefur.

“Birchtail, Flaxfur, Nettlewhisker and her apprentice, Birchtail’s mate, two elders, and the two kits in our nursery are here. We did better than most. The messenger from your clan saved us, but she died protecting the kits,” Ashclaw said solemnly.

“A true heroine. Who is this? She doesn’t smell like a Southblood,” Parlseywhisker turned her gaze on me. 

“This is Sorrel. She gave us shelter, helped us find Westblood, and saved my life. She fought the Great Cat and won. I consider her a sister of my blood,” Ashclaw said, angling his body in front of mine.

“Sorrel, huh? Are you a loner like Tulsi?”

“I’m a barn cat.”

“Isn’t that just like being a softblood? You sleep indoors, don’t you?”

I stared her directly in the eye. “I also have no difficultly sleeping outside. I would appreciate it if you didn’t use that word again; it’s very offensive. I’m sure Tulsi doesn’t like being called rougeblood either,” I said coolly. 

Thymefur nudged her side. ‘Two soft- house cats helped us, Parsleywhisker. They sheltered us and offered their help,” he said.

“Oh.” Parsleywhisker dropped her head to stare the ground.

I took pity on her. “How close is the rest of your party?” I asked.

She perked up at my question. “Not far. They were two enclosures behind when I left to catch up with Tulsi. They’ll be coming over the fence any minute now.

Moments later, a small cat came scrabbling over the fence on the other side of the enclosure. “Parsleywhisker,” he called, “We need your help with the kits and Figpelt! You four can help too.”  
“We’ll be right there, Garlicfur,” Parsleywhisker called back.

We all bounded over and waited for the first kit. A tiny calico popped over the side and slid down. Garlicfur caught her carefully and the gray kit that came down after her. A few moments later, a frail brown cat appeared over the rise. We helped him slowly to the ground. A fully-grown cat and a slightly younger one followed him. We repeated the procedure with the next fence. Ashclaw bounded over to the tree.

“Cresstail, Birchtail! Thymefur found Maizeclaw’s party! They’re all here and they brought a friend!” he said.

Cresstail dropped to the ground. “Parsleywhisker?” she said.

Parsleywhisker bounded over to her. “I’m here! I’m so glad to here that some of Westblood survived! Southblood seems to have done the best out of all of us,” she said.

Birchtail joined them. “Who is your friend?” she asked.

“Tulsi found us and helped us find you. She was on her own, wandering through the forest,” she replied.

“A rougeblood?” Maizeclaw muttered.

Ashclaw nudged her. “Shhh, don’t be rude,” he hissed.

“Thank you for helping them find their way back to us. We are very grateful for the kindness of others,” Cresstail said to Tulsi.

Tulsi straightened at her words. I wasn’t sure the other cats agreed with Cresstail. Garlicfur stared at Rhubarb and Cinnamon with veiled disgust, and they gawked at Tulsi in open fear. Ryefur, the cat from Northblood, eyed me with suspicion. This many cats with different ways of life in one place were guaranteed to create tension. Hopefully, Cresstail and Birchtail would be able to bring us together so we could stop the Great Cat and the Four Bloods could find a new home. 

Maizeclaw’s party seemed confused by our group training. “Why are you letting softbloods join? Can they even fight with their heavy bellies?” Garlicfur asked, eyeing Cinnamon suspiciously.

Cinnamon balked. “Hey! My belly is mostly muscle now! You should have seen what I looked like before,” he said defensively.

Beechfur stepped between them. “Rhubarb and Cinnamon have worked very hard. They are serious about helping us stop the Great Cat,” he said.  
“What good will that do? There’re twenty-five of us here, eighteen who can fight. The Great Cat decimated our family of 100 cats, 75 of who were better fighters than this group. What can we do but run as far away as possible?” Ryefur asked anxiously.

“Sorrel faced the Great Cat alone and beat him,” Ashclaw replied.

“You lie! How could a near softblood beat a beast like that?” Garlic said.

I lost my patience. “You know, we keep having this conversation and no one ever believes that I did it. Garlicfur, Ryefur, the rest of you- the point is, I’ve proven that this isn’t an impossible task. We can defeat the Great Cat, especially if we work together and plan smart. Birchtail and Cresstail are working on a plan that guarantees that we will succeed. If you don’t trust in me, I understand. Trust in those you have known since you were kits. Trust in those of your blood. Trust in your leaders. Trust in the Four Bloods,” I said.

The group fell silent and then returned to training. Ashclaw sidled up to me.

“Are you sure you don’t want to join Southblood? I’d even suggest that you could be a leader. Sorreltail has a nice ring to it,” he said teasingly.

I swatted his ear. “Would you stop? I think I liked you better when you called me softblood.”

Tensions seemed to decrease after my impromptu speech. The following day, Cresstail and Birchtail told us their refined plan. The newbloods and graybloods would stay here, out of danger, along with Cinnamon and Rhubarb. Cresstail explained that they weren’t used to the outer world and would be best suited to protect them in a familiar environment. Birchtail would coordinate with the healers and young bloods to build up and deliver herbs to aid the fullbloods in the fight. Birchtail asked me to be the main distributor within the fullbloods to keep the youngbloods away from the fight. Cresstail would lead the seven remaining fullbloods in attacking the Great Cats. Tulsi and I would scout the forest to track the Great Cat. It wasn’t a bad plan. If the Four Bloods had been prepared for the original attack, the Great Cat wouldn’t have stood a chance. Instead, they lost more than three quarters of their families and barely survived. I hoped this battle would have a better result.

It took us the rest of the week to find the Great Cat. Tulsi and I caught the scent early on, but the Great Cat covered a lot of distance. Even moving quickly, it took time to catch up. It seemed that in the time it took us to gather and plan, the Great Cat recovered from the injuries I inflicted on it.

When it saw us it snarled, ferocious as ever. Cresstail took half the group of fullbloods to attack from behind while Flaxfur attacked with the rest in front. The southbloods ripped gashes across the Great Cat’s flank and shoved thistle into its pelt. The Great Cat roared and swiped Thymefur into the base of a tree where he bled sluggishly. I gripped him carefully by the scruff of his neck and dragged him to the healers, where Parsleywhisker patched him up carefully with a poultice and a clump of spider webs. I turned to see Beechfur take a flying leap into the air and land heavily on the Great Cat’s back. He gripped the fur behind its shoulder in one paw while swiping viciously at its scruff with the other. The Great Cat managed to shake him off, but Beechfur escaped unharmed.

The Great Cat began to weaken. While it had damaged many cats in the beginning, it missed the swipes it took now. Its movements were fumbling and weak. Within minutes the Great Cat slumped heavily to the ground. Cresstail leapt onto its back and raised one claw threateningly.

“Yield,” she snarled, “You will do no more harm to us. I will allow you to live, if you leave this place and go far away from here.”

Never. You are prey. I will not yield.

With one quick swipe, Cresstail ripped open its throat with a killing blow.

“It is done. Let us return to our home, bury our lost ones, and then find a new place. The Four Bloods reign victorious,” she called to the surrounding cats, which yowled in celebration.

It took much less time to return than it took to find the Great Cat. When we returned to the elders and kits, Rhubarb and Cinnamon greeted us with enthusiasm. Figpelt seemed surprised to see us all alive. While the others celebrated the victory, I sat off to the side. It was dawning on me that I no longer had any reason to stay. I helped them defeat the Great Cat, and now it was time for me to go home, no matter how much I wanted to stay with them. 

Ashclaw spotted me and joined me at the edge of the fence. “Why aren’t you out there celebrating? Don’t tell me you’ve decided to be humble again?” he said.

“Just feeling wistful,” I said.

He snapped his head to look at me. “Please tell me you’re not going to try to sneak off now.”

I sighed. “As much as you like me, I think my presence would cause more harm than good. The Four Bloods need to heal together, not have some barn cat causing problems.”

Ashclaw snorted. “Cresstail wants to adopt the housecats and Parsleywhisker seems determined to keep Tulsi. Why do you think you’ll make it worse?” 

“This isn’t the time. You need to celebrate and grieve. I promise I won’t run off without saying goodbye.”

“You better not. And don’t think that I’ll stop trying to get you to stay with us. I’ll tell everyone else that you’re trying to leave. Birchtail won’t be happy about it.” He said, nudging me.

“Alright, alright. Leave me alone. Go talk to Maizeclaw. I’m sure she’s not happy that I’m hogging all of your attention,” I said, trying to push him towards the others.

“She shouldn’t worry. I have time for all of my friends,” Ashclaw said.

I snorted. “Run along, brother of my blood. I promise I’ll be here when you get back.” Ashclaw eyed me suspiciously before scampering off towards Maizeclaw.

I had barely had time to enjoy my solitude before Cresstail and Birchtail climbed to the lowest branch in the tree and yowled over the crow. The other cats quieted and gathered around the base. I moved to the edge of the group, uncomfortable being in the thick of it. I startled when Oakpelt settled next to me, but she just regarded me calmly before turning to face the leaders.

“Cats of the Four Bloods, We meet today as we do every full moon, but for far different reasons. We have lost much, but in our loss, we have gained new friends. It is that this point that we would like to discuss our future,” Cresstail said.

“First, we need to honor and bury our dead. We have four newbloods that should remain here, for safety. Who is willing to stay behind to watch over and protect our future?” Birchtail added.

Beechfur stepped forward. “I would be willing to stay behind. Southblood has lost the least, and I have already had time to mourn those of my blood. I have a comfortable relationship with all four kits. I offer myself as caretaker,” he said.

“Thank you, Beechfur, for your sacrifice,” Birchtail said, looking sympathetic.

“Second, Tulsi has told us of a place where she believes the Four Bloods could thrive. She has been there before and would be able to lead us to this new place. Tulsi, could you explain?” Cresstail said.

Tulsi glanced nervously around before speaking. “I know of a set of caves at the base of the mountain to the north, not far from a river with fresh water. There’s a forest full of prey nearby. The caves are large enough to support twice your number. It’s about a week's travel from here. Just follow the Great Northern Mountain, where you will make your new home,” she said.

“How do we know that this place is as good as you say? How can we trust a rougeblood?” Thymefur asked.

Parsleywhisker turned to snarl at him. “Don’t speak to her that way! You’re one to talk, consorting with softbloods, living in their enclosed forest! What do they know about hardship? Tulsi’s had it even worse, with no family to protect her. The Four Bloods still have each other, and we need a new home,” she hissed.

“That’s enough,” Birchtail said, “We don’t use those slurs anymore. Tulsi, Cinnamon, Rhubarb, and Sorrel are our friends. All of you will treat them with respect.”

“Perhaps we should discuss this further after we deal with this far more volatile issue. It is clear that while some us wish to welcome our new friends into the fold, others are more reluctant. Rhubarb and Cinnamon have both expressed a desire to join us. They have shown some aptitude in hunting and fighting, but they have much to learn. Therefore, Birchtail and I suggest that they be inducted as youngbloods, with two us guiding them and teaching them the way of the Four Bloods. What do you say to this?” Cresstail said calmly.

“How do we know that they won’t want to run back home at the first sign of hardship?” Garlicfur asked, glaring directly at Cinnamon and Rhubarb.

Figpelt stepped directly in his path. “While you were off fighting the Great Cat, Cinnamon and Rhubarb hunted for us, protected us, spent every night outside guarding us, and took the least prey for themselves. They have demonstrated a great willingness to adopt our way of life. The elders agree that they are worthy of joining the Four Bloods,” he said.

“Do we all agree that they should be allowed to join us? Any who disagree should speak now,” Birchtail said. The crowd was silent.

“Who would be willing to sponsor Cinnamon and Rhubarb?” Cressttail asked.

Beechfur rose to his full height and regarded Rhubarb seriously. “I will guide Rhubarb. I lost my protégée to the Great Cat, but it would be my honor to guide a new one towards maturity.”

“Rhubarb, will you take Beechfur as your guide?” Cresstail said.

Rhubarb nodded. “I would be honored,” she said solemnly.

“With that I name you Rhubarbclaw. Sharpen your mind as you grow towards maturity,” Cresstail said.

“Would any of you take Cinnamon as your protégée?” Birchtail asked.

Thymefur stepped forward. “Cinnamon and I have built a strong friendship. I would be honored to guide him into becoming a full blood,” he said. 

“Cinnamon, would you take Thymefur as your guide?” Birchtail said.

Cinnamon straightened. “I would be honored,” he squeaked.

“With that, I name you Cinnamonclaw. Sharpen your mind as you move towards maturity,” Birchtail said.

“Four Bloods! Welcome two new youngbloods into the fold! Cinnamonclaw, Rhubarbclaw, you are now members of the blood,” Cresstail said.

The crowd began shouting their new names, to Rhubarbclaw and Cinnamonclaw’s shy joy. After a few moments, the crowd died down and Cresstail spoke again. 

“It is time to return to the issue of our new home,” she said, “Some of you have expressed concern of Tulsi’s trustworthiness. Members of Eastblood have vouched for her, and she has expressed a desire to join the fold. Do any of you have a better option for our new home?” 

Maizeclaw stood. “The old forest was our home. We shouldn’t let the Great Cat destroy what we fought so hard for. After we bury the dead, we should reclaim it!” she said. 

“Youngblood, you have great passion, but you have forgotten the realities of what happened. Our lost friends have been lying out in the open for weeks, poisoning the water and tainting our sacred ground. Do you truly suggest trying to move forward in a place so riddled with death? The Old Forest has become a grave,” Baypelt said, putting an end to that idea.

“Why not stay here? We are used to this new home, it is safer than the Old Forest, and we won’t have to travel far,” Scokefur piped up.

“It’s far too small. Our blood will not be able to grow, and some of us are already feeling cramped here. It’s a step away from living like a softblood,” Garlicfur snarled.

Thymefur shoved up against him. “What did I say about using that word?” he said.

“I don’t mean to interrupt, but Garlicfur is right; we can’t stay here. Our People have been on vacation for the past few weeks, but they will return soon. They won’t be happy to find twenty cats in their enclosed forest,” Rhubarbclaw said nervously.

“It seems as though we are without other options. Do we all agree that investigating Tulsi’s caves is the best option?” Cresstail said.

The cats murmured in reluctant agreement.

“Do any of you have a serious opposition to this?” Birchtail added.

No objections came.

“Then we are in agreement. Tomorrow we go to the Old Forest to honor our lost blood,” Cresstail said.

“Fierce North, whose strength holds us steady. Gentle East, whose kindness soothes our soul. Brave West, whose heart drives us forward. Clever South, whose wisdom guides our path. We are united as one blood that pumps through the forest that shields our home. On this full moon we honor our ties, and on this night we rest. Safe dreams, children of our blood,” Birchtail said, prompting all of us to settle down for the night.

We trekked in solemn silence to the Old Forest. Even Ashclaw walked silently with his head down. We walked without stopping for food or sleep, though I saw Cinnamonclaw and Rhubarbclaw dozing when we stopped by the river for a drink. Birchtail explained the tradition of fasting and silence after losing loved ones to violence. They celebrated full lives but it was tragic to lose a cat before their time. Cinnamonclaw, Rhubarbclaw, Tulsi, and I stayed at the back of the group. Tulsi and I occasionally scouted for danger. It seemed inappropriate to participate in mourning for cats we had never met; we kept a respectful distance instead. 

As we marched, I contemplated my fate. Never had I felt less like I belonged with the Four Bloods, but that didn’t stop me from wishing to become one of them. I had to decide soon. After I helped the Four Bloods bury their kin, I would have no more excuses. 

Bumping into Rhubarbclaw interrupted my thoughts. The cats had stopped at the edge of a clearing. From the position of the mountain, it was Northblood territory. I was unprepared for the devastation. I saw dozens of dead casts sprawled across the clearing, unrecognizable in their decay. The kits were the worst; Ryefur had managed only to save a few. I glanced over and saw Ryefur shaking with suppressed grief.   
We started digging a mass grave; it would take too long to bury them separately. It took several hours to bury them properly. We spent another hour silently listening as Ryefur spoke of each of the lost members of his blood. Birchtail and Cresstail ended the lamentations with a few words about Neemtail, Northblood’s leader. The burials continued similarly for each of the other three Bloods. Everyone around me seemed weighed down by their own grief. 

I knew now was the time to slip away. As they moved forward, I needed to step aside. I snuck away as they bowed their heads in silence. I bolted towards home soon as I reached the edge of their awareness. It took half a day to reach my barn. I slipped through the doors to settle into my old nest of hay after darkness fell. Despite returning home, I felt nothing but emptiness. The barn had never been so unwelcoming and quiet.

I dreamt of my family that night: my mother and the warmth of her milk, the softness of my littermates snuggled against me, and my littermates taken to some unknown place to become house cats. One night, my mother disappeared into the night and never returned. I was alone, alone, alone. Now I was alone again. 

By morning, I felt even more miserable than before. I refused to move from my nest, even as my belly growled with hunger. I slipped in and out of wakefulness. I heard calling in the distance, but I ignored it. I doubted the Four Bloods even noticed I was gone. 

I awoke to a paw prodding me in the face.

“What were you thinking, leaving without saying goodbye? We had a deal! We all thought you had gotten lost or been attacked! Flaxfur and I asked for a special mission just to go find you! You’re lucky it didn’t rain last night. We thought we would never find our way back to the barn. Now come on, everyone else is already heading north, we’ll need to move quickly if we want to catch up,” Ashclaw shouted directly into my ear.

I turned my head away and burrowed into my nest. “I’m not coming with. You shouldn’t have come looking for me,” I said.

Ashclaw snarled. “What are you talking about?” he said.

“I belong here, in the barn. I don’t belong with the Four Bloods.”

Ashclaw poked me again. “That’s crazy talk! I named you sister of my blood, and you think you don’t belong? Did you hit your head climbing into your nest to wallow?” he said.

“You’re the one who’s delusional. There’s no place for me there. This is the only place I’ve belonged. I have a purpose here.”

Ashclaw turned his head and called out to the floor. “Flaxfur, can you believe this? I think Sorrel might be sick; she keeps saying crazy things,” he said.

I looked to see Flaxfur sitting just below my nest. “Why don’t you step outside for a moment? I need to speak with Sorrel alone,” he said.

Ashclaw stalked out of the barn. Flaxfur turned to me and indicated with a flick of his head that I should join him on the floor of the barn. I rose to my feet, stretching out my limbs, stiff and sore from my sleeping position. I dropped to the ground in front of Flaxfur and sat meekly before him, waiting for his judgment.

“I’m very disappointed that you ran off rather than talk to us about your insecurities. Any of us could have told you how much we want you to stay with us. Birchtail sent me with Ashclaw to make it clear to you that we want you to join our blood. You have done much for us, or do you forget? Without your help, we would have never defeated the Great Cat. We have lost much, and we don’t want to add you to the list. We’ll understand if you truly don’t wish to join us, but I want you to answer me honestly: would you like to join Southblood?” he said.

I took a deep breath. “I’ve lost everything I’ve ever had, and I haven’t had anything like a family in a very long time. I’m afraid that if I go with you, I’ll lose my family again,” I said.

“I can’t guarantee that you won’t experience loss,” Flaxfur said, “What I can guarantee is that cutting yourself off from us now is losing us for sure. Won’t you try to give it a chancer?”

I froze in uncertainty. Was I willing to give up everything in order to avoid some possible future pain? Was I willing to risk future pain in order to have a chance at family and happiness? I made my decision.

“You’re right, Flaxfur. I’ll come with you. I want to be a part of your family.”

Loud whooping from outside the barn immediately followed my statement. Ashclaw bounded inside and knocked me flat, licking the top of my head in pure joy.

“Come on, come on! We have to catch up to the others,” he said.

“Can I hunt for a bit? I haven’t eaten in two days,” I said.

Flaxfur chuckled. “Patience, Ashclaw, It will be easy to catch up to the others,” he said.

Ashclaw sighed. “All right, but we should leave by midday,” he insisted.

It didn’t take long to catch food and we left quickly, bellies full. Ashclaw bounded ahead, clearly excited about my decision to join them. I kept pace with Flaxfur. We tracked the Four Bloods easily, and within two days, we caught up with the group. At their current pace, they were a day away from reaching the mountain. They greeted our arrival with a boisterous welcome. Clovepaw and Cottonpaw nearly bowled me over in their excitement. Cinnamonclaw and Rhubarbclaw were sad I had left but overjoyed I had returned. Once I received warm greetings from nearly everyone, Birchtail approached me and pulled me to the side.

I bowed my head. “You know, when we first met, I thought about making you my protégée. Then I realized you were fully matured and knowledgeable in your own right. You have no need for my guidance. I want to make you a full blood, Sorrel. I want you to join our blood,” she said.

I looked her straight in the eye. “I would be honored, Birchtail,” I said.

“Now that that’s settled, we need to keep moving it we want to reach the mountain soon.”

With that, Cresstail flicked her tail and the group followed her forward. We reached the mountain by dusk the following day. Tulsi showed us the caves at the base of the mountain. There were clusters of interconnected tunnels and dens, many perfect for sleeping. A cave filled with small holes in the wall pleased Parsleywhisker and Nettlewhisker. They could store herbs and poultices there. Even the strongest critics found something to like about our new home. Ryefur liked the close proximity of the river. By evening, everyone had explored the surrounding area and tucked in for the night. 

Birchtail and Cresstail called everyone together for a meeting. We gathered in the largest cavern. Cresstail and Birchtail stood together in a quiet discussion before calling the gathering to order.

“Birchtail and I have been in deep discussion about the future of the Four Bloods and have come to a conclusion. Before we explain, there are a few orders of business. We have two young bloods who have reached maturity and shown through their deeds that they are ready to become fullbloods,” Cresstail said.

“Tansyclaw, Ashclaw, please step forward with your guides,” Birchtail said.

Ashclaw startled. The four cats stepped forward.

“Scokefur, Flaxfur, have your protégées reached maturity? Do they demonstrate the qualities of a fullblood?” Cresstail asked.

“They do,” Flaxfur and Scokefur said in unison.

“Ashclaw, do you promise to uphold your duties as a fullblood of Southblood? Tansyclaw, do you promise to uphold your duties as a fullblood of Westblood?” Cresstail asked.

“I do,” said Ashclaw and Tansyclaw in unison.

“Welcome, fullbloods, Ashfur and Tansyfur!” Cresstail called.

Cries of their new names echoed across the cavern. When the cries died down, Birchtail spoke.

“Our next order of business is to welcome two outsiders to the Four Bloods. Tulsi has shown us the path, guiding us to each other and leading us to our new home. Sorrel has saved us, helping us stop the Great Cat and dedicating herself to aiding us. Let me welcome them into the fold as members of our blood,” she said.

Cresstail indicated for us to step forward. “Tulsi, Sorrel, do you wish to join the Four Bloods and uphold the duties of a fullblood?” 

I took a deep breath. “I do,” I said with Tulsi.

“Welcome, fullbloods, Tuslifur and Sorrelfur!” Cresstail said.

The voices of many cats called out the new names again, but this time one of those names was mine.

“We have lost much, but we have also gained much. Never before have the Four Bloods been so united. This is why Birchtail and I have decided that the best choice is to unite the Four Bloods as one blood. The things that divided us are gone, let us move forward and honor those we lost by uniting together,” Cresstail declared.

Instead of excited calls, there were mutterings of confusion.

“Who will lead? Both you and Birchtail are leaders; will one of you step down? We have two healers and two youngblood healing protégées; who will take those positions?” Thymefur asked.

“These are excellent questions, Thymefur, and I assure you that Birchtail and I have discussed this in great detail. Parsleywhisker and Nettlewhisker will take half of the duties and train their protégées to take over their duties. When they have all retired, we will return to one healer,” Cresstail replied.

“We have also decided who will lead our blood. I have an announcement. I will be birthing kits in a few days, and I will step down to raise them while Cresstail leads,” Birchtail said.  
Shocked silence met her announcement. Birchtail was pregnant this whole time and I hadn’t noticed? I looked at her now and she looked plumper than when we first met. I wondered if Beechfur knew. I glanced sideways at him; he looked unruffled, as always.

“I know this is a very shocking announcement,” Cresstail said, “but we have more to tell you. After Birchtail’s kits become youngbloods, I will step down and Birchtail will take my place. I have lead for a long time, and I am ready to retire. I continue to lead only as a service to you and to Birchtail. She will lead us into the future, and I will protect you until she can.”

Birchtail stepped forward. “The life of our ancestors and those that we lost runs through our blood! We are the lifeblood! We will thrive! We are one blood! Northblood, Southblood, Eastblood, Westblood: these are the divisions of the past. We are now Lifeblood! Let us celebrate our new name as we walk towards the future,” Birchtail called out to the crowd.

At this, cheers began to spread across the cavern. I realized that what I hoped all along was true. I found my family.


	2. Appendix 1 - Culture of the Four Bloods

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This appendix includes basic information about the culture of the Four Bloods prior to their altercation with the Great Cat. It also includes a glossary for terms I made up.

GENERAL BACKGROUND

There were originally four tribes, named after the four directions. These tribes had the same basic traditions, but each had their main focus. Northblood was focused on the strength of their tribe, making sure that everyone was well cared for and healthy. Westblood focused on fighting and hunting. Eastblood focused on building relationships within and across tribes. Southblood focused on discovery (exploring and trying new herbs). 

The collective number of the four tribes equaled 100, with an average of 25 per tribe. Southblood had 24 cats, Westblood had 26, Northblood had 28, and Eastblood had 22. The newly formed tribe, Lifeblood, has 30 members.

All cats (of the blood) have a two-part name composed of a prefix and suffix. The prefix is always an herb assigned to them at birth. The prefix does not change throughout their life. The suffix denotes their status, either their position or age. Newbloods use the suffix “paw” to represent their first steps. Youngbloods use the suffix “claw’ to represent clawing their way to adulthood. Fullbloods use the suffix “fur” to represent that they are fully realized individuals. Graybloods use the suffix “pelt” to represent aging. Healers use the suffix “whisker” to represent their superior perception of health. Leaders use the suffix “tail” to represent guiding and leading from behind. 

GLOSSARY

Newblood: a kit

Youngblood: a juvenile, usually apprenticed to another cat

Fullblood: an adult

Grayblood: an elder

Softblood: slur for a housecat 

Rougeblood: slur for a feral cat or stray

The Four Bloods: the collective name for the four tribes

The Great Cat: a cougar, murdered a good portion of the Four Bloods

In-between: slur for a cat that neither lives outside or inside all the time

The Old Forest: Original home of the Four Bloods


	3. Appendix 2 - Organization of Groups

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This appendix shows where the cats belonged in terms of culture and relationships to other groups. It includes divisions from before the story, during the story, and after the story.

PRE-STORY

[Northblood]

Ryefur  
2 kits (unnamed)  
+25 others

[Southblood]

Leader: Birchtail  
Second: Flaxfur (Apprentice: Walnutclaw)  
Healer: Nettlewhisker (Apprentice: Fernclaw)  
Beechfur  
Oakpelt  
Alderpelt  
Ashclaw  
Cottonpaw  
Clovepaw  
+15 others

[Eastblood]

Leader: Neemtail  
Figpelt  
Healer: (Apprentice: Hayclaw)  
Maizeclaw  
Garlicfur  
+17 others

[Westblood] 

Leader: Cresstail  
Healer: Parsleywhisker  
Scokefur (Apprentice: Tansyclaw)  
Thymefur  
Baypelt  
+21 others

[Unafiliated] 

Tulsi (loner)  
Sorrel (barn cat)  
Cinnamon (housecat)  
Rhubarb (housecat) 

MID-STORY

[Southblood Party]

Leader: Birchtail  
Second: Flaxfur (Apprentice: Ashclaw)  
Healer: Nettlewhisker (Apprentice: Fernclaw)  
Beechfur  
Oakpelt  
Alderpelt  
Cottonpaw  
Clovepaw  
Sorrel

[Survivor Party] 

Healer: Parsleywhisker  
Garlicfur  
Ryefur  
Hayclaw  
Maizeclaw  
Figpelt  
2 kits (unnamed)  
Tulsi

[Housecat Party]

Leader: Cresstail  
Thymefur  
Scokefur (Apprentice: Tansyclaw)  
Baypelt  
Cinnamon  
Rhubarb

POST-STORY

{Lifeblood}

Leader: Birchtail  
Second: Flaxfur  
Healer: Nettlewhisker (Apprentice: Fernclaw)  
\+ Parsleywhisker (Apprentice: Hayclaw)  
Beechfur (Apprentice: Rhubarbclaw)  
Garlicfur (Apprentice: Maizeclaw)  
Ryefur  
Thymefur (Apprentice: Cinnamonclaw)  
Scokefur  
Tansyfur  
Ashfur  
Sorrelfur  
Tulsifur  
Oakpelt  
Alderpelt  
Baypelt  
Figpelt  
Cresspelt  
Clovepaw  
Cottonpaw  
2 kits (unnamed)  
Birchtail’s 3 kits (unnamed)


End file.
